winery

Domaine des Tourelles

The discovery

World-class wines from distant deserts.

Faouzi Issa studied in Montpellier and Bordeaux and now runs the oldest commercial winery in the desert in Lebanon with his family. A wine country for more than 2500 years.

Das Wineyard Weine entdecken

The winery

In Lebanon's oldest commercial winery, Faouzi Issa and his family grow wines like those in Bordeaux. At an altitude of over 1,000 meters. In the desert.

Even in pre-Roman times, Lebanese wine was considered a sought-after commodity. This tradition was kept alive by French Jesuits during the centuries of Muslim rule. This is how the Frenchman Francois-Eugène Brun fell in love with the Bekaa Valley in 1868 and founded the first commercial winery in Lebanon, Domaine des Tourelles (French: tourelles = little tower). The winery is now owned by the Issa family (relatives of the Brun family) and is largely managed and run by the younger generation, Faouzi Issa and his sisters Christiane and Johanne.

By nature these wines are organic: 100% natural

The altitude of the Bekaa Valley alone, coupled with dry winds and desert sun, means that chemicals are not used. Even without certification, this wine is organic. All grapes are harvested and sorted by hand with particular care.

«Our winemaking philosophy is based on minimal intervention. Nature allows us to produce wines that are naturally organic, without chemicals or certification.

1868

foundation

1050m

above sea level

60 years

old vines

The location

Bekaa Valley: 1000m above sea level with desert sun

The Bekaa Valley is particularly suitable for growing wine, with up to 290 days of sunshine a year. The plain stretches parallel to the Lebanese coast and the Lebanon Mountains - the village of Chtoura is 45 minutes east of Beirut. At an altitude of 1,050m above sea level, temperatures are constantly above 25 degrees during the day. At night, however, it cools down considerably - ideal for fantastic wine! The soil, with its rocky mineral content, is also a real challenge for the vines and demands a lot from them. Constant winds keep the vines and grapes dry, which is why fungicides and other chemicals can be dispensed with right from the start.